If you thought malaria was a disease of the past, think again. Malaria remains a worldwide plague and is increasingly resistant to current therapies.

One company involved in research to eradicate this dreaded disease is Corvas International (NASDAQ:CVAS) of San Diego. Corvas is among five companies presenting at Informed Investors' Philadelphia Healthcare/Biotechnology Stocks Forum from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel in Center City on Saturday Oct. 23. Cost is $25 prepaid. Register at www.informedinvestors.com or call 800-992-4683. Visit the website to learn how to listen to the Forum over the Internet.

CEO Randy Woods of Corvas will present his company's initiatives on several fronts, including the design and development of new therapies for cardiovascular, cancer and other major diseases, including malaria. Woods will also brief investors on strategic collaborations with Pfizer (PFE), Schering-Plough (SGP), and Covance (CVD), and recent financing activities that added nearly $10 million to Corvas' cash position.

Corvas (www.corvas.com) was recently awarded a $600,000 grant from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease to support research into the discovery of protease inhibitors for prophylaxis and treatment of malaria, a disease that infects up to 500 million and kills 2.7 million people annually. New drugs are needed because current therapies are increasingly ineffective due to drug resistance in endemic areas, leading to a resurgence in malaria infection rates and associated morbidity and mortality.

On other fronts, Corvas' proprietary injectable anticoagulant rNAPc2 is currently being tested in a Phase II clinical trial for the treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis following orthopedic surgery. An additional Phase IIa trial in angioplasty is scheduled to begin later this year. Corvas has a strategic alliance with Pfizer to develop recombinant neutrophil inhibitory factor (rNIF) as a possible stroke therapy. Pfizer is currently conducting a Phase IIa trial of rNIF in patients suffering from acute ischemic stroke.

Corvas also has alliances with Schering-Plough to develop an oral anticoagulant for the prevention and treatment of chronic thrombosis and an inhibitor of a key protease associated with hepatitis C virus replication. In August, Corvas announced that a subsidiary of Covance will manufacture rNAPc2 clinical material which is anticipated to be used for Phase III clinical testing upon completion of the current Phase II clinical program.

In addition to Corvas, senior management from four other companies will be presenting as well: Integra LifeSciences (IART); AVAX Technologies (AVXT); Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals (RZYM) and Lifemark (LMRK).

Alex Zisson, Managing Director and Senior Analyst/Pharmaceuticals at Hambrecht & Quist, is the keynote speaker. He will talk about biotech and healthcare companies. He covers the larger pharmaceuticals companies and has a special emphasis on the smaller, emerging drug companies and drug delivery.

Since 1993, Sacramento-based Informed Investors has featured hundreds of quality companies and scores of industry experts at its Forums.

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